Hadapada demands stronger support for Savita community

CH NEWS, GADAG Krishna H. Hadapada, District President of the Gadag District Savita Samaj, has urged the Karnataka Savita Samaj Development Corporation to take stronger steps for the welfare of poor community members across North Karnataka and Kalyana Karnataka. Speaking at a brainstorming session held at the Devaraj Urs Auditorium in Bengaluru, Hadapada said community members should not be used for political interests. He said many Savita community families in North Karnataka continue to face serious financial difficulties. According to him, more than 90 per cent of community members do not have their own land, houses or shops for their work. Hadapada said the COVID-19 pandemic severely affected the livelihoods of many barbers, forcing some to leave their hometowns and work as daily-wage labourers in other shops. He questioned the Corporation's system of providing loans and benefits to only one or two people from each taluk. He demanded that the existing quota be cancelled and the guidelines revised so that at least 25 poor Savita community members in every taluk can receive loans and financial assistance. Hadapada also urged the government to completely waive outstanding loans taken by barbers from the Devaraj Urs Corporation who suffered losses during the pandemic. He further demanded free construction of "Kshoura Kutiras" or barber shops to help affected workers rebuild their livelihoods. He said future Corporation meetings should be held in backward areas of North Karnataka and Kalyana Karnataka to improve awareness and strengthen the community at the grassroots level. Hadapada also challenged Corporation Chairman Dr. M.S. Muthuraj to fight for the community's demands. He said that if the demands were not accepted, the chairman should resign and join the struggle. He warned that protests and sit-ins could be organized across Karnataka to press for social justice and better support for poor community members.